Container for collated strips of fasteners

ABSTRACT

A container may include a receptacle having a floor, a base rim, an open end, a pair of generally parallel side walls, and a pair of end walls. The floor of the receptacle may have a generally rectangular shape, surrounded by the end walls and side walls. The container may have a length of between about 7½ inch and about 8½ inch and a height of between about 2½ inch and about 3 inch. The floor may have base rim extending downward from the floor and integral with the side walls and end walls. The side and end walls may define an open end opposite the floor. A complementary removable lid may have an elevated cap region and a rotation joint. The elevated cap region may be stackably mountable with the base rim of the receptacle. The rotation joint may divide the lid into an openable portion and a fixed portion, the openable portion being pivotable about the rotation joint. The container may be loaded with a plurality of angled collated strips of fasteners. The collated strips of fasteners may be loaded side by side, with each consecutive strip in an alternating heads-up, heads-down orientation and angled in directions opposite one another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improved containers for collated strips of fasteners.

2. Description of the Related Art

Collated strips of fasteners, e.g., nails, are frequently sold in large boxes containing thousands of identically sized fasteners. These boxes are particularly heavy, are often made of disposable cardboard, and are subject to weathering and deterioration. The use of such boxes is directed primarily toward larger construction projects requiring thousands of identically sized collated fasteners for use in a fastening tool.

In contrast, smaller construction projects may require fewer fasteners. A variety of smaller projects may require different sizes or different types of fasteners. Existing containers for holding and dispensing fasteners useful in smaller projects, such as the one disclosed in U.S. patent application 2005/0072783, are reduced in size and contain far fewer fasteners. Such containers are commonly box shaped and made of plastic. Also, some containers include a lid having a portion that can be locked in an open position.

Some of these containers utilize internal positioning trays or other spacers to conform to the shape and number of collations to be held. These positioning trays or spacers may vary in number or configuration to enable the same size and shape of container to hold one of a variety of different types and sizes of collated strips of fasteners. Thus, the external dimensions of the container may be significantly greater than the usable interior space.

Retail shelf space and product appearance are important considerations in the design of these containers, as they are displayed for individual consumers. However, many existing containers are bulky, unevenly weighted, difficult to carry, and waste valuable shipping and retail shelf space.

What is needed is a convenient and easy to use container that is capable of storing a variety of types and sizes of collated strips of fasteners in a number appropriate for smaller construction projects, and which appeals to the consumer while minimizing space requirements for shipping and retail shelf display and/or storage

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container particularly useful for shipping, storing, displaying, and using collated strips of fasteners.

The container may include a receptacle having a floor, a base rim, an open end, a pair of generally parallel side walls, and a pair of end walls. The floor of the receptacle may have a generally rectangular shape, surrounded by the end walls and side walls. The container may have a length of between about 7½ inch and about 8½ inch and a height of between about 2½ inch and about 3 inch. The floor may have base rim extending downward from the floor and integral with the side walls and end walls. The side and end walls may define an open end opposite the floor and may have a gripping flange about the open end for releasably engaging a complementary lid.

The container may also include a removable lid having an elevated cap region, a rotation joint, and clamping and positioning bands. The elevated cap region may be stackably mountable with the base rim of the receptacle. The rotation joint may divide the lid into a openable portion and a fixed portion, the openable portion being pivotable about the rotation joint. The openable portion may also releasably engage the fixed portion to lock in an open position.

The container may be loaded with a plurality of collated strips of fasteners. The plurality may include 13 to 17 collated strip of fasteners, each strip having 33 to 38 fasteners and a projected length of between about 7¾ inch and about 8¼ inch. The loaded collated strips of fasteners may be loaded substantially vertical, side by side, with each consecutive strip in an alternating heads-up, heads-down orientation and angled in directions opposite one another.

These and other features and advantages are evident from the following description of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top and end perspective view of a container in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a lid in an open position.

FIG. 3 is a reduced top view of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

FIG. 5 is an end view showing two like containers stacked.

FIG. 6 is a side section showing two like containers filled with collated fasteners and stacked.

FIG. 7 is an end section showing two like containers filled with C and stacked.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an underside of a lid of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the container with the lid removed.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a strip of collated fasteners.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a container for collated strips of fasteners is shown, having a receptacle 10, and a removable lid 12. The receptacle and removable lid may be made of polypropylene or any other durable, weather resistant plastic. The use of a durable plastic allows the container to be usable over a long period for shipping, storing, displaying and using the fasteners. The receptacle 10 may be substantially transparent or translucent, allowing consumers to observe its contents. The removable lid 12 may be a specific color and include a company logo or other identifiers 14, providing consumer recognition and product reinforcement. A label 16 may be placed on an end wall so that when stacked on a shelf, the container does not unnecessarily waste the length of retail shelf space along an aisle.

Receptacle

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 9, the receptacle may have a generally rectangular floor 20. A base rim 22 may uniformly extend from the floor in a direction normal to the floor. A free edge 24 of the base rim may form a generally flat surface for engaging another generally flat surface, i.e., a retail shelf, or the lid of another container, and supporting the container and its contents. The base rim 22 may have a depth of between about ⅛ inch and about ½ inch, more preferably between about 3/16 inch and about 5/16 inch, and most preferably about ¼ inch.

The floor may be bounded by a pair of generally parallel side walls 30, 32 having a length of between about 8 inches and about 10 inches, more preferably between about 8½ inches and about 9½ inches. The side walls may be separated by a width of between about 2 inches and about 3 inches, more preferably between about 2¼ inches and about 2½ inches. The floor may also be bounded by a pair of end walls 34, 36 to create a receptacle having an open end 38. the side walls and end walls may have a height of between about 2½ inches and about 3 inches

As shown in FIG. 10, the side walls and ends walls may be continuous and joined at rounded corners. The side walls and end walls may also include a slight outward taper from the floor 20 to the open end 38 to provide a wider open end for easier removal of contents within the receptacle. The base rim 22 may be continuous with the side walls and end walls to provide the container with the widest possible support. Because the girth of receptacle is small, the container may easily be held in a user's hands.

The side walls and end walls the near open end may also include a clamping flange 40 defined by a short outwardly extending lip around the perimeter of the open end. The clamping flange 40 may runs along the entire perimeter of the open end and is normal to and extends outwardly from the side walls 30, 32 and end walls 34, 36. The side walls and end walls may also include a gripping flange 42 below the clamping flange 40 to make the container easier to hold when opening or closing the removable lid. The gripping flange may also block a user from accidentally applying an opening force to the removable lid. The gripping flange 42 may run along the entire perimeter of the open end and is normal to and extends outwardly from the side walls and end walls to an extent greater than the clamping flange 40.

Plurality of Collated Strips of Fasteners

Turning to FIGS. 6, 7 and 10, a plurality of collated strips 50 of fasteners 52 may include between about 10 to about 20 collated strips of fasteners bound together by a band 54. Each fastener 52 in the collated strips 50 of fasteners may have a length of between about 2 inches and about 3 inches. Each collated strip 50 of fasteners may have between about 30 to about 40 fasteners, each fastener forming an angle A of between about 55 degrees and about 65 degrees with respect to a flat surface 56 when the heads 58 or the tips 60 of the fasteners are all touching the surface 56. Each collated strip of fasteners may have a projected length L of between about 7½ inches and about 8½ inches, and preferably about 8 inches.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each collated strip of fasteners may be loaded into the receptacle generally parallel with the side walls. The strips of fasteners may be loaded in abutting, side-by-side condition, with an alternating heads up, heads down orientation, the heads up orientation defined by loading a collated strip of fasteners with the head 58 of each fastener 52 positioned adjacent the open end 38 of the receptacle, the heads down orientation defined by loading a collated strip 50 of fasteners 52 with the head 58 of each fastener 52 positioned adjacent the floor 20 of the receptacle. This configuration maximizes the use of the container's volume while allowing each collated strip of fasteners to be removed form the receptacle without the heads of nearby fasteners on adjacent strips interfering with removal.

Adjacent collated strips of fasteners may also be angled in directions opposite one another so that the weight of the plurality of collated strips of fasteners is more evenly distributed throughout the receptacle, and so that one end, e.g., 70. 72 of each collated strip of fasteners may be more easily grasped by the user and removed from the receptacle with minimal interference from an adjacent collated strip of fasteners.

The length of the floor and side walls may be between about 100% and about 120%, more preferably between about 105% and about 115%, and most preferably about 110% of the projected length of each collated strip of fasteners.

Removable Lid

Turning to FIGS. 2, 3 and 8, the removable lid 12 may have a generally flat lid wall 80 and a clamping wall 82. When the removable lid is attached to the receptacle 10, the lid wall 82 may extend slightly beyond the perimeter of the clamping flange 42 on the receptacle. At this point, the clamping wall 82 may extend downwardly from the lid wall 80 toward the gripping flange 44 and around the outside of the clamping flange 82. Near the gripping flange 44, a gripping rim 84 may extend peripherally outwardly from the clamping wall 82 to receive an opening force. Preferably, the gripping rim 84 is normal to the clamping wall 82 and closely spaced from and parallel to the gripping flange 44. The gripping rim 84 may have one or more corner thumb tabs 86 which extend beyond the gripping flange 44 to further facilitate the application of an opening force.

As seen in FIG. 9, the removable lid has an interior surface 80 a facing the receptacle when the removable lid is attached to the receptacle. The interior surface 80 a of the lid wall may have a number of positioning bands 90 extending downwardly from the surface 80 a, normal to the surface 80 a. When the removable lid is attached to the receptacle, the positioning bands 90 penetrate the open end of the receptacle and frictionally engage inside surfaces 30 a, 32 a of the side walls 30, 32 to resist removal of the lid. Similarly, clamping bands 92 may extend inwardly from the inside surface of the clamping wall 82, normal to the clamping wall 82. When the removable lid is attached to the receptacle, the clamping bands 92 snap and engage the clamping flange 82, and form an interference fit to resist the removal of lid.

The removable lid 12 may have an openable portion 12 a and a fixed portion 12 b separated by a rotation joint 95. The rotation joint may be formed by a decrease in the lid wall thickness. The rotation joint 95 allows a user to rotatably open the openable portion by applying an opening force to the thumb tab 86 and gripping rim 84 on the openable portion. When an opening force is applied to the openable portion, the clamping bands 90 and positioning bands 92 on the openable portion 12 a disengage the clamping flange 42, allowing the openable portion to rotatably open about the rotation joint 95, while the clamping bands 90 and positioning bands 92 on the fixed portion 12 b remain engaged. To facilitate this action, the clamping bands 90 and positioning bands 92 on the fixed portion 12 b may be collectively longer than the clamping bands 90 and positioning bands 92 on the openable portion 12 a. The rotation joint may run along the entire length of the removable lid 12 to allow the user to withdraw contents that occupy substantially the entire length of the receptacle 10.

As also seen in FIGS. 1, 6 and 9, the removable lid 12 may also have an elevated cap region 96 stackably mountable with the base rim 22 on a receptacle. The elevated cap region 96 may extend above the wall 80 to a height of between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch, more preferably between about 3/16 inch and about 5/16 inch, and in the illustrated embodiment, about ¼ inch. When stackably mounted to the elevated cap region 96, the base rim 22 may extend downwardly around the elevated cap region with the flat surface 24 contacting the lid wall 80. In the stacked position, there may be a maximum lateral tolerance between the base rim and the elevated cap region of between about 0 inch and about ⅛ inch.

The elevated cap region 96 on the fixed portion 12 b may also include a recessed channel 98 bounded by walls 91, 93 and running along the rotation joint, allowing the openable portion 12 a to rotate about the rotation joint 95 without the elevated cap region 96 on the openable portion 12 a without colliding with the elevated cap region 96 on the fixed portion 12 b. The elevated cap region 96 on the openable portion 12 a may have spaced apart recessed wall portions 97, 99 located to interfit with the channel 98 on the openable portion 12 a to further facilitate rotation of the openable portion and to releasably lock with the channel 98 on the fixed portion 12 b to hold the lid in the open position. When the openable portion 12 a of the lid is rotated toward the fixed portion 12 b to an angle of about 90 degrees, the openable portion of the lid releasably locks in the open position.

With the lid in the open position, a user may easily remove or insert a collated strip of fasteners. Furthermore, when the lid is open, the container loaded with a plurality of collated strips of fasteners may be tipped or turned upside down to remove a collated strip of fasteners without the removable lid detaching from the receptacle.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific exemplary embodiment herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, but by all embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed. 

1. A plastic container comprising a receptacle and a removable lid; wherein said receptacle has a generally rectangular floor, a peripheral base rim extending from said floor, a pair of generally parallel side walls extending from said floor in a direction generally opposite said base rim and having a height of between about 2 inches and about 3 inches and a length of between about 8 inches and about 10 inches, a pair of generally parallel end walls extending from said floor between said side walls and having a height of between about 2 inches and about 3 inches and a length of between about 2 inches and about 3 inches, said side walls and end walls defining an open end opposite said floor; wherein said removable lid has an elevated cap region stackably mountable with said base rim.
 2. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the width between said pair of generally parallel side walls is between about 2⅛ inches and about 2⅝ inches.
 3. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said elevated cap region extends above said removable lid a height of between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch.
 4. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said base rim of said container has a depth of between about ⅛ inch and about ½ inch.
 5. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said base rim and said cap region are respectively sized and configured so that said base rim mounted to said cap region provides maximum lateral tolerances of between about 0 inch and about ⅛ inch, and said side walls and end walls of respective ones of stacked containers are substantially aligned within said tolerances.
 6. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said base rim of said container is substantially continuous.
 7. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said side walls and end walls are integral with said base rim.
 8. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said side walls and end walls near said open end further comprise a clamping flange and a gripping flange located below said clamping flange, and wherein said removable lid has clamping bands for creating an interference fit with at least a portion of said clamping flange and positioning bands for frictionally engaging at least a portion of said side walls and end walls.
 9. A plastic container according to claim 1, wherein said removable lid has an openable portion and a fixed portion separated by a rotation joint.
 10. A plastic container according to claim 9, wherein said removable lid has a closed position and an open position, said closed position defined by said openable portion and said fixed portion removably engaged with said container, and said open position defined by said fixed portion engaged with said container.
 11. A plastic container according to claim 9, wherein said elevated region on said openable portion frictionally engages said elevated region on said fixed portion in the open position.
 12. A loaded plastic container comprising a receptacle, a removable lid, and a plurality of collated strips of fasteners; wherein said receptacle has a generally rectangular floor, a base rim extending from said floor, a pair of generally parallel side walls extending from said floor in a direction generally opposite said base rim and having a height of between about 2½ inches and about 3 inches and a length of between about 8½ inches and about 9½ inches, a plurality of end walls, and an open end opposite said floor; wherein said removable lid has an elevated cap region stackably mountable with said base rim; and, wherein each of said collated strips of fasteners have a projected length of between about 7¾ inches and about 8¼ inches.
 13. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said length of said side walls are between about 100% and about 120% of said projected length of each collated strip of fasteners.
 14. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said plurality has 13 to 17 collated strips of fasteners.
 15. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said collated strips of fasteners each have 33 to 38 fasteners.
 16. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said collated strips of fasteners are loaded substantially vertical in said container, side by side, each consecutive strip alternating heads-up, heads-down, and wherein each consecutive collated strip of fasteners is angled in directions opposite one another.
 17. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein the width between said pair of generally parallel side walls is between about 2⅛ inches and about 2⅝ inches.
 18. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said cap region extends above said removable lid a height of between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch.
 19. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said base rim of said container has a depth of between about ⅛ inch and ⅜ inch.
 20. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said base rim mounted to said cap region provides maximum lateral tolerances of between about 0 inch and about ⅛ inch.
 21. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said side walls and end walls are integral with said base rim.
 22. A loaded plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said side walls and end walls near said open end further comprise a clamping flange and a gripping flange located below said clamping flange, and wherein said removable lid has clamping bands for creating an interference fit with said clamping flange and positioning bands for frictionally engaging said side walls and end walls.
 23. A plastic container according to claim 12, wherein said removable lid has openable portion and a fixed portion separated by a rotation joint.
 24. A plastic container according to claim 23, wherein said container and removable lid have a closed position and an open position, said closed position defined by said openable portion and said fixed portion removably engaged with said container, and said open position defined by only said fixed portion engaged with said container.
 25. A plastic container according to claim 24, wherein said elevated region on said openable portion frictionally engages said elevated region on said fixed portion in the open position.
 26. A loaded plastic container comprising a receptacle, a removable lid, and a plurality of collated strips of fasteners; wherein said receptacle has a generally rectangular floor, a base rim extending from said floor, a pair of generally parallel side walls extending from said floor in a direction generally opposite said base rim and having a height of between about 2½ inches and about 3 inches, a length of between about 8½ inches and about 9½ inches, and a width between said side walls between about 2⅛ inches and about 2⅝ inches, a plurality of end walls, and an open end opposite said floor, said side walls and end walls integral with said base rim and having a clamping flange and a gripping flange located below said clamping flange near said open end; wherein said removable lid has an elevated cap region stackably mountable with said base rim, clamping bands for creating an interference fit with said clamping flange and positioning bands for frictionally engaging said side walls and end walls, a fixed portion and openable portion separated by a rotation joint, said openable portion rotatably openable about said rotation joint, and a closed position and an open position, said closed position defined by said openable portion and said fixed portion removably engaged with said container, said open position defined by only said fixed portion engaged with said container, wherein said elevated region on said openable portion frictionally engages said elevated region on said fixed portion in the open position; and, wherein said plurality has 13 to 17 collated strips of fasteners, each collated strip having 33 to 38 fasteners and a projected length of between about 7¾ inches and about 8¼ inches, vertically loaded in said container side by side, each consecutive strip alternating heads-up, heads-down, and wherein each consecutive collated strip of fasteners is angled in directions opposite one another.
 27. A plastic container according to claim 26, wherein said elevated cap region extends above said removable lid a height of between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch.
 28. A loaded plastic container according to claim 26, wherein said base rim of said container has a depth of between about ⅛ inch and ⅜ inch.
 29. A plastic container according to claim 26, wherein said base rim mounted to said cap region provides maximum lateral tolerances of between about 0 inch and about ⅛ inch.
 30. A loaded plastic container according to claim 26, wherein said length of said side walls are between about 100% and about 120% of said projected length of each collated strip of fasteners
 30. A loaded plastic container according to claim 26, wherein said length of said side walls are between about 100% and about 120% of said projected length of each collated strip of fasteners 